Dido at The Louvre, Paris

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This undated marble statue depicting Dido is attributed to Christophe Cochet, a sculptor whose known records date from 1606-1634. The statue once stood in the park of Marly, France, adorning one of the fountains of Agrippina in 1707. It's possible to recognize the figure of Dido from her physical appearance, giving away her life after Enée's departure, successfully captured by Cochet. As an unknown sculptor, Cochet lived and worked in Rome between 1615-1618 with his friend Simon Vouet before returning to Paris to produce an official portrait of Marie de Médicis for the Palace of Luxembourg. The sculpture depicts Dido committing suicide, as written thoroughly about in Virgil's Aeneid. After a dream following Sychaeus' death, her husband who urged her to flee the country and revealed where his gold was buried, Dido left with those who hated or feared Pygmalion, her husband's killer. Some time after, Dido fell in love with Trojan hero Aeneas by Juno and Venus' management. Jupiter, Aeneas' guardian, dispatched Mercury to send Aeneas away, who reluctantly obeyed. Dido can no longer bear to live. She has her sister Anna build a pyre under the pretence of burning all that reminded her of Aeneas, including his weapons, clothes, and what she calls their bridal bed. When Dido sees Aeneas' fleet leaving, she curses him and his Trojans, proclaiming endless hate between Carthage and the descendants of Troy, foreshadowing the Punic Wars. Dido ascends the pyre, lies again on the couch shared with Aeneas, and then falls on a sword given to her by Aeneas. During his journey in the underworld, Aeneas meets Dido and tries to execute himself, but Dido turns away from him to a grove where her former husband Sychaeus waits. This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory. We're creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for public access. Scan the World is an open-source community effort. If you have interesting items around you and want to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.